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You may file this under the heading of “silly, useless fun” but you are reading my first blog post created entirely on my new i-phone.

As with everything i-phone, there was a an application (read: program) for it; in this case from WordPress. Tip of the cap to Craig Chapman from Rare Earth Interactive for the heads up on this app (only one of about 15,000+ available so far).

I think I’ll title these i-phone posts: “i-posts”.

And if I don’t get alot faster with this touchscreen typing, you’ll not see all that many “i-posts”.

Tags: commentary, i-post, silliness, social media, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Last December, I was elected to the board of directors of Media Communications Association – International (MCA-I). MCA-I members are over 700 media communication professionals around the world who provide the vital connection between the creative methods and technology. This describes me and about 70% of my client base.

I joined the association in August after having spoken about the group with Connie Terwilliger – a friend, a wonderful professional voice talent and herself a past-president of MCA-I.

There are 25 chapters across the country with another 150 members like me who are (as I call it) unchapterized. As far as I know I AM the Buffalo chapter.

That’s right. I serve on an international board of directors of an association to which the only meetings I have attended have been virtual (except now I’ve personally been to a leaders meeting in New Orleans). Why would I do such a thing?

Well yes I am crazy but that has nothing to do with this! 😉

The business of media in which I have been a professional (read: paid) practitioner since 1982 is a virtual business. Certainly in-person meetings take place often but fully 80% – 90% of my customers I’ve never met. If one is going to run a global business like mine (which “sounds” a lot more impressive than it is) you quickly have to come to grips with that business reality.

So belonging to an association in which my interaction is either phone or web-based is not at all problematic. And all the other benefits of belonging to a professional association (save for the in-person meetings) still apply….and that INCLUDES programming, education, cost-saving programs and networking (think Facebook and Linked-In as to one way that might work). And if your city HAS a chapter in it, all the better for you!

As I am also the MCA-I Membership chair, I am not above offering this infomercial for YOU to join MCA-I too…especially since I’ve created a membership recruitment drive now through April 30, 2009 and if you list my name on your on-line membership application as the referring member, I would enjoy the bragging rights! I can’t win any of the prizes as I oversee the promotion.

And very seriously, if you have any questions about membership, please call me at +01 716 572 1800 and I will be glad to speak with you about it – no matter where in the world you are…though remember I am only uni-lingual.

Tags: commentary, internet, marketing, mca-i, media, peter o'connell, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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OK, I know that providing internet service has costs and with every business there is a right to include a profit margin and that applies to Wi-Fi providers. So I’ll back off the constitutional amendment and focus strictly on travelers.

What do you mean this sounds like a selfish post from a business man who travels a lot? OK, maybe it is but just listen cause I think this will benefit you too.

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are testing Wi-Fi service on their planes. OK good, please stop testing and let’s do this thing! Internet access on airplanes would be a God-send. Please do it.

And (here’s where I need you to back me up) let’s make it free.

“Zoinks!” (yelled Shaggy from Scooby Doo) you think Wi-Fi should be free? But airlines need new revenue streams, they’re bleeding red ink! They must charge!

No they mustn’t nor should the airports. They should take a page from one of the busiest airports in America – Charlotte Douglas International. Free Wi-Fi.

My logic is this: Wi-Fi is a one time set up fee with minimal maintenance… maintenance that can probably be done in most cases by a current employee who will be trained…many people perform multiple jobs at their work. I voice commercials and clean the toilets…if it needs doing I do it. Simple.

And the fee for getting the Wi-Fi service to the plane is the fee. Eat it.

Airlines nickel and dime travelers for everything. Air travel is about as glamorous as a flying bus. So impart some much needed good will. Make Wi-Fi free.

Airports, you charge fees to travelers and airlines and vendors who have shops but you also have security and upkeep costs. You also have often angry travelers who would like some good news. Stop dinging your customers….that’s for governments to do (and I know some of you are city and county run….but you don’t have to act like it all the time!).

Anyway, free Wi-Fi for travelers is the right thing to do. Can we make this the next trend: do the right thing? What do you think? Am I nuts?

Tags: commentary, customer service, internet, technology, travel, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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About once a year (maybe twice if I’m actually in the mood for it) I remember I need to update the voice over blog roll that you see to the right of this post. (No, no, your other right!)

It contains a list of all the voice over talents who have blogs. Well now that isn’t entirely true, you see, because there are some voice talents who have blogs but seem to be blogging impaired (they start a blog in 2007, write one post and that’s it) or who have content that is regularly so far off the voice over path that it doesn’t qualify for what I want to list.

None the less, either the amont of voice over bloggers has grown enormously recently or I haven’t been keeping up. Now since you and I know that I am perfect and without fault, let’s just say the list has grown.

When doing research on any project its always best to either start with Google or start at the library. In the world of voice over, that library is found at the internet intersection of Bob and Souer where the land’s most popular voice over blog resides. Bob has over 1 million subscribers.

Here? Well there’s just you and me but I pay you a pretty penny to pretend you like reading this stuff so I don’t want to hear any complaints!

Anyway, over at Bob’s blog I found a ton of new blogs (people email him their links to new blogs because, you know, people actually read his blog). So while I won’t say I actually stole my updated voice-over blog roll listing from Bob’s blog, let’s just say I “borrowed” liberally – along the same lines as radio stations borrow their morning newscast scripts from the morning newspaper.

Now bloggers, listen up – many of you have made wonderful efforts in your posts. The graphics are also lovely. But I have one question: where is your “subscribe” button? Do you have one? Do you know that having a blog without a subscribe button is akin to having an Oreo without milk? Correct…it’s just not done or if it is done, it’s just not right!

Some of you have a little text post in teeny tiny letters that whisper “subscribe” on a side panel or worse that the very bottom of the blog. All the while a possible subscriber is hunting all over the place. What’s worse are you poor souls that have no subscribe button at all. RSS is the blogger’s golden ticket, folks! Note the nice big orange logo on the upper right corner of this blog! People will not click on a link to find your posts everyday- blog aficionados use blog readers. And if someone can’t subscribe to your blog, chances are I am not linking to you on this site. Just a little tough love to help your blog’s readership.

OK, rant completed and it is now my pleasure to welcome the following people to the voiceover blog roll (all of whom are welcome to link back to THIS blog, if they haven’t already). But worry not, my link is not a quid pro quo. So please enjoy reading:

alan bainbridge’s blog

amy snively’s blog

anthony mendez’s blog

marc cashman’s blog

dan lenard’s blog

dana detrick-clark’s blog

dave deandrea’s blog

dave temple’s blog

donna reed’s blog

emma clarke’s blog

erik sheppard’s blog

jamee t. perkin’s blog

kat kessling’s blog

lance blair’s blog

lindsay reiss’ blog

matt anothony’s blog

michael flowers’ blog

michael minetree’s blog

mike cooper’s blog

mitch phillips’ blog

russ renshaw’s blog

scott larson’s blog

steve anthony’s blog

t.j. jones’ blog

tom tolces’ blog

Welcome all. Your talents are grand and your insights are immeasurable.

I’m glad to have in this space and to know you as my peer.

Tags: announcers, blogs, commentary, rants, social media, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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[audio:http://www.audioconnell.com/clientuploads/mp3/pcto09_promo_audiconnell.mp3]
Right click here to download this promo!

For those podcasters or bloggers who would be so inclined, please feel free to download and use my contribution to the “call to arms” (or promos, actually) for Podcamp Toronto 2009.

If you would be willing (you don’t have to) please tag the spot with the mention of the blog address (www.voxmarketising.com) the website address (www.audioconnell.com) or the audio tag “audio promo courtesy of audio’connell voice over talent – the perfect choice for an awesome voice!”

Thanks and we’ll see you there!

Tags: advertising, blogs, commentary, commercials, internet, marketing, pcto09, podcamptoronto, podcamptoronto2009, podcasting, public service announcement, social media, technology, voiceover blog by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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I hope, if you’re going to be within 2-3 hours of Toronto on February 21-22, you’ll stop by Rogers Communications Centre at Ryerson University for Podcamp Toronto 2009.

To learn about social media at any level (newbie, intermediate, pro) and maybe even more importantly to actually meet the people who make up the community, this event is unparalleled.

The event is free. The people are smart and friendly. Go there.

It looks like this event will conflict with my son’s birthday party on Saturday (discussions are on going though I do prioritize birthday cake over podcamps) but I fully intend to be there on Sunday.

Tags: blogs, community, internet, pcto09, podcamptoronto, podcamptoronto2009, podcasting, social media, social networking, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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